Cover for flush-fill containers



July 4, 1967 v. E. CRISCI COVER FOR FLUSH-FILL CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1965 IN VENTOR. VICTOR E. CRISCI A T TORNEXM July 4, 1967 v, cmscl 3,329,304

COVER FOR FLUSH-FILL CONTAINERS Filed May 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheer.

GIFIG.5

INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEI VICTOR E. CRISCI United States Patent O 3,329,304 COVER FOR FLUSH-FELL CONTAINERS Victor E. Crisci, Leominster, Mass, assignor to Mammoth Plastics, Inc., Clinton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 457,967 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This invention relates to a new plasic cover for plastic containers of the flush-fill type. In particular, it relates to a molded plastic cover which provides an improved tightness of fit on to the container.

Plastic flush-fill containers generally have a bead at the top edge or rirn for engaging the cover and thus can be filled up to the top or flush. Such containers are used for many types of food products. However, with certain liquid or semi-liquid products, previously described covers for such containers have not provided sufficient tightness of fit.

One object of this invention is to provide a snap fit cover for flushfill containers which will provide an improved tightness of fit.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow and from the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a median vertical sectional view of a flushfill plastic container having a circular opening, a slight body taper, a top head at the rim or top edge and protuberances for aiding in the stacking of such containers.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a plastic cover made in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a median vertical sectional view of a flush-fill container having a circular opening, a slight body taper and a top head at the rim or top edge.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of anotherembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a section along line 66 of FIG. 5.

This invention comprises generally a flexible molded cover having a flat horizontal body portion terminating in a circumferential downwardly directed vertical wall. The outer surface of the wall is provided with a uniformly spaced plurality of vertical protrusions whose outward extensions are substantially in excess of their thickness and also of the wall thickness. The vertical wall has a partial inwardly directed thickening so as to form an inner head for engagement of the bead on the rim of the container. The cover wall is further characterized in that it has an outwardly extending protrusion with a double end bend.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the flush fill circular opening container 11 has a top flange 13a with a depending section 13 and a plurality of stacking protuberances 12. The cover of FIGURES 2 and 3 has a flat horizontal body portion 15 which constitutes the top surface, terminating in a depending circumferential vertical side wall 16. On the inside of the wall 16 is a bead 22 which forms a pocket-groove 21 with the wall and the flat horizontal portion 15. The bead 22 is engageable with the bead 13 of the container. The bottom portion of the wall 18 has an outward horizontal extension 19 with a depending vertical flange 20. On the outer surface of wall 16 are a plurality of spaced vertical fins or ribs 17 each of which is characterized in having its amount of lateral protrusion being substantially in excess of its own thickness and the wall thickness.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 4, 5 and 6, the flush-fill circular opening container 111 has a top bead 112 on the outside of its rim. The cover illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 has a fiat horizontal body portion 114 which constitutes the top surface terminating in a depending circumferential vertical side 3,329,304 Patented July 4, 1967 wall 115. On the inside of wall is a thickening 116 which forms a pocket-groove 121 with the wall 115 and the top 114. The thickened section 116 is engageable with the bead 112 of the container 111. The bottom portion of the wall below the thickening 116 has an outwardly sloping extension 117 which has 21 depending vertical flange 118 terminating in a horizontal flange 119. On the outer surface of the wall 115 are a plurality of spaced vertical fins or ribs 120, each of which is characterized as having its amount of horizontal protrusion being substantially in excess of both its own thickness and the wall thickness.

I have found that covers made in accordance with this invention when used with plastic flush-fill containers having a bead on their top rims provides a much more secure tightness of fit than has been hitherto feasible with common flexible thermoplastic materials such as polystyrene or polyethylene. However, the materials of construction are not limited to such plastic. The covers of this invention are preferably made by injection molding although they can be made by other processes.

As shown in the drawings, the extended vertical flange 118 of the second embodiment is spaced outwardly so that the inner diameter of the flange is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the top fiat portion 114. This permits a greater nesting ability. Similarly, vertical flange 20 of the first embodiment has its inner diameter spaced outwardly from alignment with the outer diameter of flat portion 15. Although such extension is preferred, the double bent sections of lesser extent give some assistance in the nesting of a stack of covers.

I claim:

1. A flexible cover for use with a container having a bead at its top rim, comprising a substantially fiat, horizontal body portion terminating in a circumferential downwardly directed vertical wall; the inner portion of said wall being thickened to provide a circumferential bead engageable with said container bead and terminating in a double bent section comprising an outwardly extending portion and a downwardly extending portion; a plurality of spaced vertical fin portions being provided, each of which extends along the outside of said wall and is characterized in that its horizontal protrusion is substantially in excess of the wall thickness; said fin portions extending upwardly to a position intermediate the level of said inner bead and top surface.

2. A flexible cover for use with a container having a head at its top rim, comprising a substantially flat, horizontal body portion terminating in a circumferential downwardly directed vertical wall; the inner portion of said wall being thickened to provide a circumferential bead engageable with said container bead and terminating in a double bent section comprising an outwardly extending portion, and downwardly extending portion; said downwardly extending portion being so spaced that its inner diameter is slightly greater than the outer diameter .of said flat body portion; a plurality of spaced vertical fin portions being provided, each of which extends along the outside of said wall and is characterized in that its horizontal protrusion is substantially in excess of the wall thickness; said fin portions extending upwardly to a position intermediate the level of said inner bead and top surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,173,574 3/1965 Goldsmith 2206O 3,176,868 4/1965 Crisci 22060 3,178,051 4/1965 Edwards 22060 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

JAMES B. MARBERT, Examiner. 

1. A FLEXIBLE COVER FOR USE WITH A CONTAINER HAVING A BEAD AT ITS TOP RIM, COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, HORIZONTAL BODY PORTION TERMINATING IN A CIRCUMFERENTIAL DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED VERTICAL WALL; THE INNER PORTION OF SAID WALL BEING THICKENED TO PROVIDE A CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CONTAINER BEAD AND TERMINATING IN A DOUBLE BENT SECTION COMPRISING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION AND A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION; A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICAL FIN PORTIONS BEING PROVIDED, EACH OF WHICH EXTENDS ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF SAID WALL AND IS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT ITS HORIZONTAL PROTRUSION IS SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE WALL THICKNESS; SAID FIN PORTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLY TO A POSITION INTERMEDIATE THE LEVEL OF SAID INNER BEAD AND TOP SURFACE. 